1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system for removing dust and other foreign particles from air and, more particularly, to an improved filter for a vacuum cleaner exhaust, to remove particles exhausted by the vacuum cleaner.
2. Description of Related Art
Many types of vacuum cleaners are known, including those referred to as liquid bath cleaners having water contained in a lower reservoir through which air is drawn, before being exhausted from the vacuum cleaner. Examples of prior art showing such liquid bath vacuum cleaners are U.S. design Pat. No. 296,945 to Erickson, Jr., and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,102,353 to Brock, 2,221,572 to Brock et al., 2,945,553 to Brock, 4,640,697 to Erickson, Jr. and 4,673,422 to Tidwell.
In the known liquid bath vacuum cleaners, a separator is usually mounted above a bath of liquid held in a reservoir and air within a room is drawn into the vacuum cleaner by a tool and hose. The air then passes through the water, through the separator, and is discharged back into the room via a single exhaust, or a multiple of outlets formed in the body of the vacuum cleaner. When passing through the vacuum, the air is basically treated to remove solids, and to humidify or otherwise treat the air. A germicidal solution may be added to the water so as to further treat the air to destroy germs carried therein. However, because of the size and tenacity of some viruses, bacteria, and the like, not all airborne substances are removed or killed when passing through the water bath and any germicidal solution held therein. Therefore, microscopic particles, bacteria, or viruses may be redistributed back into the air in an area being vacuumed.
Air line filters, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,097, are known. However, such air line filters require that an inlet line be brought to one side of the filter, whereby air will pass through a filter element held in a housing and then pass out an exhaust port to a separate line. Such air line filters, however, cannot be adapted to be used in the exhaust of a vacuum cleaner, and particularly, a liquid bath vacuum cleaner, so as to filter out substantially all remaining microscopic particles, or the like, not filtered out by the passage of air through the vacuum cleaner, before the air is exhausted back into a room.
The present invention solves the problem of filtering microscopic particles, including bacteria and viruses in air exhausted from a liquid bath vacuum cleaner, for added safety and health purposes. The present invention provides an improved filter for insertion into the exhaust port of a liquid bath vacuum cleaner to filter out substantially all remaining microscopic particles from air being exhausted from such a vacuum cleaner.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved air filter. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved air filter for a vacuum cleaner. It is a further particular object of the present invention to provide an improved air filter adapted to be attached to an exhaust port of a vacuum cleaner. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner exhaust filter for a liquid bath vacuum cleaner. It is yet a further particular object of the present invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner exhaust filter having angled vanes therein for more evenly distributing the flow of exhaust air through an internal filter means. It is a still further particular object of the present invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner exhaust filter having a housing with novel air directing means in the interior of the housing, and an indicator to show the condition of the filter held within the housing.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum cleaner exhaust filter is adapted to be inserted and held in an exhaust port of a liquid bath vacuum cleaner. Air exhausted from the vacuum cleaner passes through the exhaust port of the vacuum cleaner into an inlet passageway of a filter housing, and is directed by a series of vanes through a HEPA filter securely held within the housing, for passage through openings in the filter housing to a space being cleaned. An indicating means is mounted within the filter housing and controlled by the flow of air exiting therefrom, to indicate the condition of the filter .